Celtics introduce Brad Stevens as coach

The Boston Celtics introduced Brad Stevens as their 17th head coach at a news conference this morning at the team's training center at Healthpoint.

Stevens, 36, who coached Butler University to a 166-49 record and two NCAA championship games in six seasons, signed a six-year contract, according to Danny Ainge, the Celtics' president of basketball operations.

“I am absolutely humbled to be sitting in this room and looking around at the banners that hang here," said Stevens, who replaces Doc Rivers, who was traded to the Los Angeles Clippers for a 2015 first-round draft pick. “This was the right thing for me and the right thing for my family.”

Stevens, who has no NBA experience as a player or coach, is Boston's first hire from the college ranks since Rick Pitino was lured away from the University of Kentucky in 1997. Pitinio's teams went 102-146 and never reached the playoffs in four seasons.

“We will give Brad the support he needs to make that transition,” Ainge said.

"As much as I took a leap of faith, so did they," Stevens said of his Celtics' contract, which replaces the 12-year deal he signed last year at Butler.

A native of Zionsville, Ind., Stevens was a three-time academic All-America nominee at DePaul University, graduating with a degree in economics. He later joined Butler as coordinator of basketball operations under then-coach Thad Matta, before being named head coach in 2007.

Stevens' 166 wins at Butler were the most by a Division 1 coach in his first six seasons. His teams lost national title games to Duke in 2010 and UConn in 2011.

In addition to their new head coach, the 2013-14 Celtics will look much different than the one that finished last season with a 41-40 record and lost in the first round of the playoffs to the New York Knicks.

Boston has agreed to send Kevin Garnett, Paul Pierce and Jason Terry to the Brooklyn Nets, a trade that will be made official on Wednesday. The Celtics will receive Gerald Wallace, Tornike Shengelia, Reggie Evans and Keith Bogans, as well as first-round draft picks in 2014, 2016 and 2018.

Stevens said he has already spoken with Boston's star point guard.

"There's no bigger fan of Rajon Rondo than me," he said. "I look foward to working with him."